Paper-feeding mechanism.



' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

HERMANN OTTO FISCHER, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PACKAGE MACHINERY COMPANY, 4OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATIQN OF 1111ASSACH'U'SETIPS.v

Specification of Letters iatent.

PAPER-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Patented Apr. 1, 191.9. Divided and this application ined June 19,'

1918. Serial No. 240,769.

To all whom u may'conccrn:

Be it known that I, HERMANN O. FISCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springeld, in the county of Hampden and State of hlassachusetts'have invented certain Improvements in Paper-Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following description, infconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characteis on the drawings indicating like parts in the 4several figures.

This invention relates to mechanisms for feeding sheets of paper or other material in sheet form to wrapping machines, printing presses or other machines in which such material 'is utilized. The inventionis particularly concerned with mechanisms of this .general type designed to feed individual sheets from a supply as distinguished from those-mechanisms which feed sheet material from .a weber continuous strip.

A common type of mechanism of this general character comprises a table on which a stack of wrappers, labels, blanks or similar sheets are supported and a mechanism that feeds the sheets from the top of the stackone at a time to the machine in which they" are to be used or to aA sheet 'advancing mechanism of some kind.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the means for separating the tcpmost sheet in the stack from the adjacent sheets and it aims to devise a simple but thoroughly reliable mechanism for performing this function and for insuring the. accurate deliveryl. of a sheet in each cycle of operations of the machine.

The invention also provides novel means for preventing breakage of or injury to the parts which might take place if the supply of sheets in the stack became substantially exhausted.

` The invention valso includes novel details of construction and combinations and arrangement of parts, the nature and advanconnection with the accompanying drawings, v

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a. sheet feeding mechanism embodying the inventionin the form now preferred by me:

il. 1 showing a detail of construcliig. .3 is a side elevation partly in cross section showing the sheet feeder: and

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shownin Fig. l.

The sheet feeding mechanism is shown in the accompanying.,r drawings applied to a wrapping machine of a common type, the frame of this machine heilig indicated at 2, and the frame of the feeding mechanism being indicated at 4. The latter mechanism comprises a table 5 for supporting a stack of wrapper blanks or sheets 6 designed to be -fed to the machine 2;. The stack of sheets is maintained against forward movement by front abutments or stops 7 and against lateral displacement by side pieces 8 and 9, see Fig. 4, the side pieces being adjustable toward and from each other. The front abutments 7 have horizontal projections extending forward from their upper ends, as

indicated at 10 in Fig. l, which constitute a platform or apron over which the sheets are vadvanced within reach of a setof belts 12 which carry them to the wrapping anism.' f

'lhe sheets are advanced from the top of,

the stack one at a time by means, of aleciprocating feeder which comprises a feed roll 13, made of ruhbcr or some other suitable material, mounted on a short shaft which is rotatably supported in the 'forward end of a feed lever 14. This lever is fulcrumed at" 15 on a carriage 1G which is mounted to reciprocate toward and from the belts 12 on a stationary horizontal guide .han 1-7. The carriage is provided with a pair of rolls 18 which run on the upper surface of the bar 17. For thepurpose of giving this carriage its reciprocating movement it is providedpvith a proJection 20 to which a link 2l is cnnected, and the forward end of this link is pivoted to the free end of a,

crank 22 fixed on the shaft 2l. This shaft is driven by 'a chain connection with a sprocket wheel rotating freely on a shaft 25, and fast with another sprocket 23 driven by a similar connection with a shaft 26, which forms part of the driving mechanism of the wrapping machine 2. It is obvious that as 60 tion of the'feeder, but it insures the accurate moved back and forth on the horizontal guide bar 17.

\ 'engagement with the As the feed wneel 13 is 4carried forward in this manner it is prevented from rotating by means of a ratchet wheel 28 fast-with the wheel 13 and a pawl 29 held in contact with said wheel by a spring 30. This construction, however, permits the Wheel to rotate freely in a clockwise direction while it moves backwardly in making the idle part of its Vstroke. 'A spring 32 having one end con nected to the rear end of the lever 14 and its other end connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 33 fulcrumed on the carriage 34, presses the feed roll 13 downward and holds it yieldingly in engagement with the surface of the topmost sheet in the stack. lt will now be evident that as the carriage 16 is inoved backwardly, to carry the ,feed 'roll 13 from the position in which it appears in full lines i'n Fig. 3 to that in which it is shown in dotted lines, it will roll freely over the surfaces with which it engages; but when the carriagehas reached the backward limit 'of its stroke and starts forward again, the pawl 29 and ratchet 2:8 will prevent the roll 13 from rotating, and it thus will exert a strong fricti-on'al drag on` the topmost sheet and carry this sheet forward over the platform 10 and toward the belts 12. A pair of spring pressed needles 36 pierces the mare gins of upper sheets in the stack at points substantially in line with the direction of the feeding movementof the feed roll 13 and eectually prevents the feed roll from advancing more than a single sheet at a Jtime. These needles are supported `by a holder 37 which is adjustably clamped on the bar 17.

In the construction shown the bell crank lever 33 is provided with an arm 38 which, as the carriage 16 nears the rearward limit of its stroke, strikes a stationary pin supported in the `frame 4 and swings the lever about its fulcruln 34 in a counter clockwise 'direction thus tensloning the spring 32 and acting through the lever 14 to increase the pressure of the roll 13 on the upper sheets in rthe stack 6. This increase in pressure is maintained until the feeder has moved forwardfar enough to free the arm 38 from pin 40, but in the meantime the feeder has started the topmost sheet forward and torn ift free from the needles 36, so that thereafter only a reliatively light engagement of the feeder witlh the sheet is required to complete the feeding operation. This novel arrangement not only produces great reliability in the operaseparation-of the. topmost sheet from the other sheets in 'the stack, and it permits the use of a springof such a tension that it will cause the roll 13 to bear only relatively panacea lightly" on the topmost sheet in the stack as it makes its return or idle stroke, and thus avoids any possibility of wrinklmg up the i.

sheet which must next be advanced. It will n ow be noted that the normal tensionv of the spring 32 can be adjusted by means of a set screw 41`adjustably mounted in the carriage 16 and arranged to bear against the arm 33 of the bell crank lever. A similar set screw 42 adjustably supported by the 'carriage 16 is positioned for engagement with the feeder lever 14 and limits the movement of this lever under the influence of a spring 3 2. The front abutment 7 in line with the-feed roll 13 is slotted, as shown in Fig. 3, land .the horizontal or apron portion 10 of'this inem'- ber is encircled loosely by a strip of webbing 44 or similar material. The upper4 surface of this strip of webbing the other apronlike projections from the upright pieces 7 and in the normal operation of the mechanism it performs the same functions as do the corresponding portions ofthe other parts 7. If, however, `the supply 0f sheets should be exhausted while the. feeder was allowed to reciprocate, the drag of the feed roll 13 on the strip 44, particularly while making its forward stroke, causes this strap to slide freely over the upper surface of the part 10 and thus avoids the wear and strain on the feeder which would otherwise be produced by the heavy drag of the `feed roll on the apron if the strip of' webbing were not present.' i

1t is obvious that -as the feeder removes sheets from the top ofthe stack 6 it will reduce the height of the stack in a Very short time to such a point that it could not continue rto advance sheets in the desired manner if some means were not provided to elevate the-stack and maintain the top of the stack at substantially a. constant and predetermined height. For the purpose of elevating the stack, the -ta'ble 5 is supported by two pairs of racks, one pair at each side of the table, indicated respectively at 46 and 48. The two front racks and 4, mesh with pinions mounted fast on a shaft 49, one of'these pinions being indicated at 50 in Fig. 2. Idlerolls 51 and 52, respectively, hold the front racks 46 and 48 in engagement with their The rearward pair of racks 46 and 48 are similarly supported and guided, the pinions with which theyV mesh ybeing mounted fast on the shaft 25. A shaft 54, lying between respective pinions.

sol

is on a level with 46 and 48, Figs. 1

and parallel to these 'two shafts, has. a pinion gear connections with said shafts at the opr. n

posite side of the table, 49 being indica-ted in shaft 54 has affixed thereto a kratchetwheel 58 with which a pawl 59 engages and pre-y the gearon the shaft l Fig. 4 at 6o. The

vents counter clockwise rotation of the shaft,

to the racks lo and 48, thus raising the table 5 and the pawl 59 will act through these connections to maintain the table 1n its raised position. l

A power driven mechanism is provided to operate through these connections to give the table 5 a step by step elevating movement. This mechanism comprises a lever -t mounted to oscillate on the shaft 5l and carrying a pawl ($5 which is pivoted thereto and has its tree end resting on the periphery ofthe ratchet wheel 5S. One arm of this lever qa'lso carries a. roll 67' adapted to run on the peripheryof a cam-68 revolving with y the sprocket wheel 23 on the shaft 25.

cam thus operative tooscillate the lever (S4 and this movement is transmitted by t'he pawl (35 to the ratchet wheel 58, rotating this `wheel one tooth at a time, and thus operating through the gear connections with the table to elevate the table step hy step. Normally, however, this roll is held out ol contact withl the cam by means of a latch mechanism which comprises a rod 70 supported at its upper end in. a rock shaft 71 mounted in bearings formed on the frame -1 of the mechanism, the lower end ot' this rod being adapted to engage in a seat 72 formed in the arm of the lever (il opposite to that which carries a roll (57. lVhen in thisl position therod 70 *holds the roll 67 at a point substantially at the outer limit of travel of the highest part of the cam G8 and thusy maintains the table elevatin mechanism in 'an inoperative condition. he rock shaft 71 also carries a. bracket'T-l in which a rod 75 is mounted for vertical adjustment, by means of an adjusting nut 76, and the lower end of this rod lies in the ath of travel of a tail piece 78 which is xe to the rearward endet the feeder arm 14.

y lt will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 3 that as the height of the top of thestack 6 is reduced, due to the removal of sheets from the stack, the feed roll 13 will drop and the tail piece78 on the rearward end of the feed lever 14 will be correspondingly raised. When the height of the upper end of, stack has' been reduced to a point predetermined by the adjustment of the rod 75, this tail piece 78 will engage the lower end 'of the rod 75 as :the feeder nears the eogbac'kward limit of its strokeand swingtllc rod rearwardly about the axis of the rock shaft 71, thus moving the lower end of the rod out of en agement with the seat 72. The' Weight of t e lever 64, andthe parts vcarried therebv. is so disnosed with reference This to its ilnlcrum, that this lever will. `{unmediately rook in a counter clockwise dirtictioir until the roll 67 rests on the periphery of the cam 68. The table elevating meel'ianism thus is thrown into operation and raises the table one step. The release of the latch mechanism only momentary, for the reason that the feeder starts forward again im mediately after having tripped the latch, and as soon as .the latch is disengaged 'from the feeder the rod 7() is swung back by a ,spring (Hltoward its normal nieupright position. The seat 72 in 'thelever 64- is at this time above the-lower endy ol therod so that the side ot' the rod strikes the end of the 1ever and vrests against it until the cam 68 swings the lever lar enough to allow the lower end ot the. rod to move into thc seat 72 iigain. The latch thus resets itself immediatel y after it has been tripped by the feeder and it allows the table elevating mechanism to make only one elevating movement, actingr thereafter to maintain said mechanism in an inoperative condition until the latch again 'tripped by the feeder. The table, of course,

is raised only Va. small fraction of an inch at cach operation of the, table elevating mechanisnrso that the top of the stack of sheets is maintained `at substantially ,a constant height. Normally' ythe stack of sheets maintain the roll 13 at such a height that thc tail piece. 78 slides under the lower end of the rol and the latch thus is tripped only wien it is necessary to operate the table elevating mechanism in order to restore the upper end ol the stack to the desired height. 1n other Words, the cormectiou lwtwceu the feeder and the power driven mcchanisu'x. which eleva-ttes the table enables 'the feeder to control the operation of said mechanism, and t-he feedeafreally constitutes a leeler acting to detect variations in thel height of the top of the stack and to bring the power driven mechanism into operation when the top of the stack drops Jelow a predetermined level. i I,

It is obvious-that it' the supply of labels on the table were allowed to become nearly exhausted, the automatic elevating mechanism might raise the table to a point where it `would break the needles 3G and possibly also injure some of the other parts. In order to prevent an occurrence of this kind a mechanism' is provided which automatically throws the chuck elevating mechanism, into an inoperative condition when the table has been elevated to a predetermined point. This mechanism con'iprises a rod S0. Figs. 1 and projecting radially from a collar Ell fixed to the shaft ett), the rod bcing'oilt'erative at a certain point 'in its travel to eng: .ge a pin 8:2 projecting laterally trom the lever (il. The rod 8O is so positioned angularly with reference to the. shaft 49 that as this shaft rotated in elevating the table 5, the

' vided particularly for the purpose of limitsv 'als' l Leashes rod will engage th'epin 82 and press it down just before the table has reached a point at which a further elevation might damage some of the parts. The pressure of the rod 80 o'n-'the pin 82 operates through the lever 64 to maintain 'the cam roll 67 out of engagement withthe cam 68 and thus prevents an further table elevating movement.

The lower limit of movement of the table 5 is determined by a pair of stops'86 and 87 projecting from-opposite sides of the table 'and shoulders 88 and 89 on the machine ing the 'elevating movement of the table when it is fe'd upwardly by hand.

' While I have herein shown and .described the best embodiment of this' invention of which I am at present aware, itis obvious that the invention is capable of embodiment in many other forms diferinginl detail from that herein disclosed while still retainin its essential features and characteristics. do, not, therefore, desire to 'be limited to the eXact details of construction shown.

Having thus described my invention what.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In4 a. sheet feeding mechanism, the combination with'a support for a stack of sheets,

' of a reciprocating feeder operative by frictional engagement with the topmost sheet in the stack to feed the sheet'forward, a spring having one end connected to said feeder and acting to press the feeder against the topmost sheet in the stack, a movable member supporting theother end of said spring, aigd a part inthe path of movement of said member operative to vmove the member in a direction to tension said spring while thefeeder is near the rearward limit of its stroke 2. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination with a support for a stack of sheets, of a reciprocating feeder operative by frictional engagement with the topmost sheet in the stack to feed the sheet forward, a spring acting to hold said feeder in engagement with said sheet and means for increas-V ing thetension of the springen the feeder during the first part of the feeding stroke.

3. Ina sheet feeding mechanism, the combination with a support for a stack of sheets, of a reciprocating carriage movable over the top of said stack, a feed roll, a lever mounted on said carriage and supporting said roll, a spring acting on said lever to press the roll against the topmost sheet in the stack, means cooperating with said roll to hold it against rotation during the forward stroke of said carriage, but permitting it to rotate freely during its return stroke, and means operative tovfincrease the tension of said spring during the first part of the forward stroke-of said'feeder.

4. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination with a support for a stack of sheets, of a reciprocating Acarriage movable over the top of said stack, a feed roll, a lever mounted on'said carriage" and supporting said roll, means coperating with said'roll to hold it against `rotation during the forward .stroke of Said carriage, but permitting .it to rotate freely during its'return stroke, a spring connected at one end to said leverA and acting to press the roll against the topmost sheet in the stack, a movable member supporting the other end of said spring, and a part in the path of movement of said member operative to move the member in a direction to tension said spring While the feeder is near the backward limit of its stroke.

5. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination with a support for a stack of sheets, and a reciprocating feeder constructed and arranged to feed the sheets one at a time from the top of said stack, of a stationary member over which .said feeder moves in advancing a sheet, and means between said member and said feeder constructedland arranged to be moved by the drag of the feeder on it.

6. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination with a support for a stack of sheets, and a reciprocating feeder constructed and arranged to feed the sheets one at a time from the top of said stack, of means over which said feeder travels during part of its advancing movement constructed and arranged to move with the feeder when the feeder engages it in making said movement.

7. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the com- .,bination with a support for a stachI of sheets,

and a reciprocating feeder constructed and arranged to'feed the sheets one at atime from the top of said stack, of a stationary member over which said feeder moves in advancing a sheet, and a strap loosely encircling saidmember and free to be moved relatively to said member by the drag of the feeder onit.

vIn, testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HERMANN GTT() FISCHER. 

